DOD Whistleblower Vows to Make PTSD Her #1 Issue in 2016 & Thanks US Senator Joe Donnelly for his Efforts in Combating the Anxiety Disorder That's Taken More Lives Than Combat.

"A mom of a 4 tour vet who took his life when he was told his meds would be cut off met with me, she said he put his remaining patches under his arm & died watching football.  Her voice haunts me & so do the two Marine wives whose husbands used guns to end their PTSD pain.  Seems like the meds change to what the lobbyist are promoting."  Sharyn Bovat aka The DOD Whistleblower

" Suicides among active-duty service members rose by 20 percent in the second quarter of this year (2015) to 71, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Defense Department...."  Military Times

"More of our troop have died of suicide in America than in Iraq & the government is NOT CAPABLE of stopping the surge. In 2016 It's my goal to meet the members of congress concerned about this issue and lobby for "Alternative" therapies for PTSD because that's the precursor to suicide."Sharyn Bovat aka the DOD Whistleblower 

 As a person that suffers from PTSD i empathize with our troops & I know that today I'm not just surviving but thriving because I have had continues, consistent medical care. What's currently being prescribed at the VA is just NOT working our vets deserve to have a voice in their care & too many times I've heard that 'directives' from above cause dramatic shifts in meds used & available treatment options, the pill makers lobbyist have dictated the treatment & I was told that spikes in suicided happens whenever meds are changed with NO proper plan to ease the patient off of the pills instead they just stop providing them.

A congressional Veterans committee staffer told me BIG PHARMA funds studies that show viable (non pharma) options fail,  they indirectly paid for a study to show pot & alternative treatments don't work for PTSD.

In 2012 when Eric Cantor protected his Wall Street friends and ignored the vets they cut funding for PTSD dog research & have funded studies that showed viable (non pharma) options fail, was cut cause data showed they cost 30-50K, those numbers were the cost of a DEA dog or a TSA dog a PTSD dog cost 8-12K  those studies were created to fail just so BIG PHARMA can succeed"  

One study cited by members of congress as a reason to deny pot as an option to vets was created a strain of marijuana that's known for magnifying paranoia, thus the conclusion that pot makes anxiety worse was the conclusion ( the study did not use Indica a strain of pot that's known for helping patients with anxiety).  

Medical studies giving to congress need "warning labels" on who funds them and those members of congress that take funds from the industries doing the studies need to disclose "that" on their websites.

Last night in an Illinois suburb I had dinner with a group of people that became a group because they suffer from various anxiety issues. The people were all ages, different educational backgrounds and races. Everyone had trauma in their lives and ALL of united from "anxiety" ... they acted like a family and they welcomed me.

The biggest takeaway from what i learned last night is people with PTSD if put in the right environment can not only survive they can THRIVE. I hope to learn from them & take the inspiration back to DC and then i'll encourage Congress to change "how" they regulate the care of our troops suffering from PTSD.  The solution seems to be TBD (To Be Determined) but the answer to ending the epidemic is not the current road. It's many roads one that integrates the vets into society. One that's nimble & respects the vet & honors the greatness of America - Diverse. 

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/senator-urges-congress-to-confront-stark-vet-suicide-rates

Choice words for VA Choice program

nwitimes.com-Dec 13, 2015

Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and U.S. Rep. ... Because of claustrophobia caused by PTSD, he can't get a traditional MRI, the only kind offered at the ...

Carmel VFW gives itself a new mission: Recruit young Hoosier ...

Fox 59-Dec 1, 2015

“We understand what they're going through because a lot of us have PTSD,” Leirer said. “That's just part of it.” On Monday, Sen. Joe Donnelly ...Donnelly: ‘Combatting Stigma is Critical Step to Addressing Mental Health’

Supported resolution that passed Senate to designate June as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly co-sponsored and the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution today to designate June 2015 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. The designation would increase awareness among the Armed Forces, veterans, military families, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Donnelly joined U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp and 21 colleagues in introducing the resolution. This is the third consecutive year that the Senate has designated a full month for national PTSD awareness.

Donnelly, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee said, “Combatting stigma is a critical step to addressing mental health challenges among troops and veterans. By designating June as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, we continue to bring this and other mental health issues out of the shadows. Post-traumatic stress affects the best and bravest among us. We need to let our Hoosier heroes know that they have our unwavering support and that seeking help is a sign of courage and strength.”

Donnelly has continuously worked to advance legislation to improve mental health care for servicemembers, veterans, and military families. In March, he introduced the “Servicemember and Veteran Mental Health Care Package” (“Care Package”), three bipartisan bills to help improve mental health services for troops and veterans. Military mental health provisions from the “Care Package” recently passed the Senate as part of the national defense bill. The “Care Package” would help ensure there are a sufficient number of and the best trained mental health providers for servicemembers and veterans. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has committed to considering veterans-related provisions of Donnelly’s “Care Package” in the months ahead. This legislation would build on the progress made by Donnelly’s Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act, which was signed into law late last year and requires an annual mental health assessment for all servicemembers—Active, Guard, and Reserve.